Time-switch-actuating means



2 Sheets-Sheet l E. ZBINDEN TIME SWITCH ACTUATING MEANS /lvsl/LnrE/J/edApril 5. 1926 Feb. 19, 1929.

Feb. 19, 1929. 1,702,715

E. zBlNDEN TIME SWITCH ACTUATING MEANS Filed April 5, 1926 2Sheets-Sheet 2 Eulen-[ar Em l' l Zz'nden Patented Feb. 19, 1929.

EMIL ZBINDEN, OF SOLOTII'URN, SWITZERLAND.

TIME-SWITCH-ACTUATING MEANS.

Application filed April 5, 1926, Serial No. 99,861, and in SwitzerlandApril 16, 1925.

This invention relates to device for automatically shitting accor ing totime curves, those adjustable contct-niemlfiers ot time switches whichdeter-m e periods of time of making and breaking the circuit.

According to my invention a time switch actuating mechanism embodying myinvention is provided, which comprises at least one set ot worm gearingconnected with a clockworl mechanism, 'the driving wheel ot which wormgearing matics one revolution per annum and whose individual teeth areso formed that when in juxtaposition they follow a. desired time curve,and the other driven wheel et the worm gearing transmits the forward andliacltward movements imparted to it by the driving wheel to anadjustable Contact member oit the time switch which effects the makingand breaking ot a circuit, such as a lighting circuit, in the course ofa year according to its position and corresponding to the time changearrangements of the circuit-closing and circuitbrealiing pointsoccasioned by the course ot the time curve.

Preferably, the device comprises a plurality ot' Worm gears, one havingteeth corresponding to a li gilt-ing curve, namely, aplot oi timeperiods for matting or breaking, or both malring and breaking anelectric light circuit, and the other teeth corresponding to other timecurves.

Conveniently, the device is driven by the main spri' et the clockworkmechanism of the time switch,

The invention consists in the construction, arrangement and combinationoit parts described hereinatter and pointed out in the claims.

One embodiment ot the invention is illustrated by way of example in theaccom panying drawings wherein :-M

Figure l a vertical section through one torinot device according' to theinvention,

Figure c .l a plan view thereof", and

Figure 3 is a development ot the periphery ol the driving worm `gea r.

'Figure 4 atace view of a type oit' switch device which may actuated bythe switch actuating` mechanism.

Fio'ure 5 is a sectional View of the same.

The device comprises shitting means tor use in connection with means foractuating a contact device of a time switch oi' known sample in the wiei On the annular 1 ase l, of insulation, of this Contact device ismounted a cylindrical casing` .'23 in which is arranged the springbarrel 3 t the clocliivorl; meclmnism oi' the time switch. The spindleat which serves for windin up the main sprin is driven by the shaft 5.Fast on the nl per end of the spindle l is an eccentric l2 whichactuates a pawl 6 engaging with a crown wheel 7. This wheel is tast onone end of the vertical shaft 8 located outside Jdie casing, the otherend oit which shaft carries a pinion 9 meshing with the teeth l() ofdrum ll rotatable` on the casing i. The pawl 6 vturns the wheel 7 onetooth per diem and the gear ratio of the pinion 9 and teething` l0 is soselected that the drum ll rotates atthe rate of one revolution in oneyear.

ln the illustrative embodiment the drum ll has on its periphery fourrings 13 arranged in parallel relation, each ol which is intended tooperate as a worm gear and has at its periphery teeth arranged accordingto a predetermined time curve. The tee th of the lirst ring ot theseries which are arranged accordingto a lighting curve, are showndeveloped in Figure Z3. This development may be produced by forming andarranging the teeth in such a manner 'that in the orbit of rotation olvthe gear they Yfollow a time curve of periods for circuit making andbreaking act-ions. As Figure shows, the teeth not only differ in pitch,but sonic of them are directed in the opposite direction to others.

The other rings indicated only in broken lines in l are provided withteeth arranged according to other time curves, for instance lightextinguishing and light taritl curves.

lVith each worm gear meshes a pin wheel ll, journaled on a convenientpart oit the casing Each pin wheel has two rings ot pinsl or teeth andlf3 in planes at righ t angles to one anotherr the one ri ng l5 meshing1with the allotted worm wh-el, while the ring 16 serves tor transmit-tinthe movements ot the worni wheel to a vertical shaft ll. These shafts1.7 carry each at th ir opposite ends pinions la and 17" oi insulatingmaterial, the pinion 17a meshing with the toothed rim ot a contact ring18 adjustably mounted on the insulated annulus l, and the pinion i271meshing with the ring` it?, each worm wheel 13 is thus opera'tivelyconnected in this manner within-ne ot the co c s and in thf ourse yearcurve represented by the teeth of the allotted worm wheel.

As stated, the switch actuating` device is employed for automaticallyshifting according to time curves those adjustable contact members oftime switches which determine the periods of time of making and breakinga circuit. The term time curve includes lighting and extinguishingcurves, and tariff curves, These curves are based upon the variation ofthe length of days during the year according to geographical latitudes.The lighting circuits, in which lamps are cut in or out in accord ancewith such time curves,

f the times for lighting the lamps or extinguish ing them are plottablein curves, and these are known as lighting or extinguishing curves,respectively. If the time controller switch is'to cut in or out aboiler', for instance, in addition to controlling the lights, and theboiler is to be cut in only during the day time, when the current issold at the lowest tariff, then the cutting inand cutting out curves forthe boiler must correspond to vthe determined time curves. In such casethe boiler cutting in curve will' correspond with the light eX-tinguishing curve and the boiler cutting out curve will correspond tothe light switching in curve. This is what is known as a tariff curve.The worm gears of the actuating` device are designed to operate orcontrol the contact elements of a time switch in accordance with suchcurves, and the teeth of each worm gear are accordingly set according tothe plo-t of the curve for shifting the pin wheel actuated therebyeither in a forward or a backwarddirection, as required in accordancewith the curve, to shift the working parts of the time switchaccordingly.

In Figures 4 and 5 I have shown suflicient of a time switch havingcontacts for controlling a circuit for enabling the operation of theswitch actuating .mechanism to be readily understood. In these views, inthe insulating annulus l, which serves at the same time as the clockface, there are rotatably journaled, one behind the other, the two metalrings 18 and 19, well insulated from one another, and whose inner edgeextends in a spiral line. On each ring thus there is formed an oiiisct2O and 2l respectively. As long as these offsets cover each other, thecontact arm 23, iixed to the hand 22 and extending across all contactrings (there may be more than only the two shown by way of eX- ample),will remain in contact `with the ring i9, since the latter is of smallerdiameter than the ring 18. If, however, by means to be described furtherdown, the rings are relatively displaced so that their offsets 20 and 2lcoincide with different sections of the clock face, the contact arm 23,upon slipping off the offset 2l of ring 19, will contact with the ring18 and remain in this condition until it slips olf its offset 20,whereupon it will contact with another ring (not shown). On cach ringslides a contact member 24 fixed on the annulus l (only one such contactmember 24 is shown). AThe direction of the current is indicated by thearrows and 2G.

If, yas shown in Figures 4 and 5, the rings have different innerdiameters, it is possible, by properly adjusting two .or more of theserings so that their respective offsets register exactly, to eliminateone or more completely for correspondingly varying the number of theswitching operations.

If, for instance, each ring is connected to a group of lamps, it ispossible, by adjusting the several rings in the manner described, to cutout one or more such lamp groups yfor required periods. A change in thesuccession of the switching operations in the case of rings presentinginner diameters of different eX- tent is not possible, for the reasonthat within 24 hours the contact member 23 can always only slip fromrings of smaller diameter to those of larger diameter.

However, all rings may also have the same diameter, as shown in Figurel, in which case it is not possible to bring two or more rings intoperfect registry, since in that case t-he member 23 will simultaneouslycontact with two or more rings, when the device, obviously, would becomeinoperative. In ,the case of rings of equal diameters,rthen, the numberof the switching operations is not variable, Ybut their sequence is.

l. In a time switch actuatingy device, the combin ation with a movablemember for controlling a circuit, a driving worm gear whereof the teethare so formed that when in juxtaposition they follow a time curve, adriven worm gear that meshes with the said driving worm gear and isoperatively connected with said movable member, and .mechanism forrotating said driving worm gear at the rate of one revolution per annum,substantially as described.

2. In a time switch actuating device, thel combination of a plurality 0fcircuit-controlling members, a plurality of pairs of worm gears, onepair allotted to each controlling member, and comprising each a drivingworm gear and a driven worm gear meshing therewith, mechanism forrotating the driving worm gears each at the rate of one revolution perannum and means operatively connecting the driven worm gears each withthe controlling members, said worm gears having teeth arranged formotion transmitting actions at diiferent predetermined time periods.

3. In a time switchactuating device, the combination of clockworkcomprising a main spring, a circuit-controlling member, worm gearingcomprising a driving worm that is arranged to be driven by said mainspring'at the rate of one revolution per annum and having its teetharranged in a path for transmitting clockwise or counterclockwise motionto a part to be driven thereby at predetermined periods in a singledirection of movement of said driving worm, and a driven worm gear thatmeshes with said driving Worm gear and is operatively connected withsaid controlling member, substantially as described.

4. A device for automatically operating adjustable contacts controllingthe cutting in and cutting out time periods of time switches accordingto time. curves, comprising at least one worm wheel unit driven by clockwork mechanism whose driving pinion makes one revolution per year7 and adriven Wheel operatedv by the worm wheel unit for transmitting motion tosaid adjustable Contact, the teeth of the worm wheel unit being arrangedto extend on a course corresponding to a desired time curve and adaptedto transmit forward or backward movements to the driven whe-el forcorrespondingly actuating the adjustable contact members of the timeswitch, whereby according to positions of the contact members and of theteeth of the worm wheel unit the members will be operated for cutting inand cutting out actions at predetermined periods in the course of ayear.

Signed at Bern, this 24th day of March 1926.

EMIL ZBINDEN.

